1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a cable wiring structure of an electronic apparatus, in which structure a cable is arranged in wiring across a movable unit for opening/closing or rotation, etc., and more particularly, to a cable wiring structure, an electronic apparatus, a manufacturing method of the same, and a cable which are applicable to cable wiring across a movable unit of each of various electronic apparatuses, such as cellular phone terminal devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Among various portable electronic apparatuses, such as cellular phone terminal devices and personal computers (PC) an apparatus having a plurality of cases connected via a hinge to be capable of rotation and opening/closing has been known. Such an apparatus offers improved portability, compactness, protection for a display unit, etc. Another type of apparatus has a display that can be rotated to provide higher visibility. Such a device having a movable unit needs a well-devised method of leading around and holding a cable.
Related to an electronic apparatus wired with a cable as described above, Japanese Patent Application laid-Open Publication No. 2003-108300 discloses a technique that a cable pulled out of an apparatus body is press fitted into an outer peripheral slot formed on the apparatus body (ABSTRACT, FIG. 4). Japanese Patent Application laid-Open Publication No. 2000-10657 discloses a technique that a slot housing a cable for connection to an external device is formed on the body of an electronic apparatus, of which the body and a lid can be opened/closed via a hinge mechanism (ABSTRACT, FIG. 1). Japanese Patent Application laid-Open Publication No. 1995-160364 discloses a structure including a body, an input display unit, and a connecting arm, in which structure the connecting arm can be rotated relative to the body via a first hinge mechanism and the input display unit can be rotated relative to the connecting arm via a second hinge mechanism (ABSTRACT, FIG. 8).
Besides a cable, an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) etc., is known as a wiring material. An electronic apparatus, such as a PC, is equipped in many cases with such a cable as a thin coaxial cable offering a shielding effect to enable transmission of a plurality of signals and/or data. In an apparatus having a movable unit, particularly, a cable showing a greater bearing capacity against torsion than an FPC is suitable for a wiring portion formed across the movable unit.
When a cable is arranged across a movable unit in an apparatus, a cable housing unit for housing the cable must be formed in the apparatus. Such a cable housing unit occupies a large space inside the apparatus.
When a cable is set in an elongated form to facilitate assembling of cases, the cable may happen to be caught in a joint between the cases upon assembling, and an extra length space for housing the cable increases the size of an apparatus, becoming the cause of prevention of miniaturization of the apparatus.
Japanese Patent Application laid-Open Publication Nos. 2003-108300, 2000-10657, and 1995-160364 provide no disclosure or suggestion concerning the above problems, and present no disclosure or hint on a configuration, etc., for solving the problem either.